A budget speech gives a government an opportunity to highlight the things it thinks are important. Working on the premise that the mention and position of words in a budget speech is a good indicator of importance, the Journal looked at the last four speeches to try to determine what the government has focused on.

Key terms were charted from year to year. The larger the circle, the more often the term was used in that year's budget speech. The colours of the chart run from magenta to olive. The more green the hue, the more often a word was used The more red the hue, the less often it was used.

Meriting only nine mentions in 2009, health has become more prominent over the past three budgets. The 2010 budget speech mentioned health 14 times, the 2011 speech 16 times and the 2012 speech 21 times.

Along with more mentions, the health care sections of the speeches moved closer to the beginning as years went by.

Taxes

Mentions of tax and taxes has increased from 10 in 2009 to 26 in 2012. Not only did mentions rise but the rhetoric around taxes has changed. In the 2009, 2010 and 2011 speeches the government makes it clear that there will be no tax increases.

In 2009 the government said, "Albertans can be assured they will continue to pay the lowest taxes in Canada, by far. Mr. Speaker, we aim to keep it that way."

That sentiment was echoed in 2010, "Budget 2010 keeps it that way by implementing the Premier's pledge: There will be no new taxes!" and in 2011, "As Premier Stelmach has often said, you cannot tax your way out of recession."

But in 2012 the government's rhetoric turns from absolute to hedging.

"But as we move away from volatile resource revenues to fund ongoing programs, and move toward a more sustainable revenue base, we know that a discussion on taxes must lie in Alberta's future."

Revenues

Mentions of revenue have increased from eight in 2009 to 27 in 2012. The largest increase came in the 2012 budget, when revenues were mentioned 27 times.

Most of those mentions had to do with the declining value of natural resources.

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